'Alexander' -- Oliver Stone

'Alexander' -- Oliver Stone

Warner Bros. Pictures

For a director most known for baby boomer subjects ("The Doors," "Born on Fourth of July," "Platoon"), political biographies ("W.," "Nixon," "JFK") and spectacles of violence ("Natural Born Killers," "Savages"), a sword-and-sandal epic seemed to come from out of left field. But the director took on "Alexander," the tale of the King of Macedonia, with Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins and Rosario Dawson in tow. Though a departure from much of his other material, it shouldn't have been a shock. Political intrigue, war and spectacles of violence were all included in "Alexander" as well. Overall, it made a little over $167 million worldwide, a disappointing haul for a film of this pedigree.

For a director most known for baby boomer subjects ("The Doors," "Born on Fourth of July," "Platoon"), political biographies ("W.," "Nixon," "JFK") and spectacles of violence ("Natural Born Killers," "Savages"), a sword-and-sandal epic seemed to come from out of left field. But the director took on "Alexander," the tale of the King of Macedonia, with Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins and Rosario Dawson in tow. Though a departure from much of his other material, it shouldn't have been a shock. Political intrigue, war and spectacles of violence were all included in "Alexander" as well. Overall, it made a little over $167 million worldwide, a disappointing haul for a film of this pedigree. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

For a director most known for baby boomer subjects ("The Doors," "Born on Fourth of July," "Platoon"), political biographies ("W.," "Nixon," "JFK") and spectacles of violence ("Natural Born Killers," "Savages"), a sword-and-sandal epic seemed to come from out of left field. But the director took on "Alexander," the tale of the King of Macedonia, with Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins and Rosario Dawson in tow. Though a departure from much of his other material, it shouldn't have been a shock. Political intrigue, war and spectacles of violence were all included in "Alexander" as well. Overall, it made a little over $167 million worldwide, a disappointing haul for a film of this pedigree.